601 - He asked She answered
by qhostwriter
Summary: Warning: contains spoilers from Season 6 Sneak Peak 1, such as they are. This is the result of 4 days locked inside with a concussion, had to kill the time somehow.
1. Chapter 1

**Episode 6.01**

**I have no affiliation with ABC or the TV Show Castle. If I did the tenses would be consistent and I would be forced to beta. **

**Warning: contains Spoilers from Season 6 Sneak Peak 1, such as they are.**

**This is the result of 4 days locked inside with a concussion, had to kill the time somehow.**

**Chapter 1 - **

There he is kneeling in the dirt steeling himself for potential rejection as he solemnly asks, "Katherine Houghton Beckett will you marry me?"

He watches as she shakes her head _'no._'

"No?" Castle asks as his voice betrays him with an undeniable quiver.

Kate swiftly responds by reaching for his hands and pulling Castle to his feet. He stumbles in a most ungraceful manner as he finds his footing on wobbly legs. Castle grimaced to himself, was it nerves or loss of circulation? His age was showing. Was she saying no because he is ten years old, strapped with not one, but two ex-wives?

Kate shakes her head _'no'_ once again. Recoiling in surprise, Kate chokes out, " .GOD…you're….proposing."

What did she think he was doing in an overpriced suit kneeling before her, holding a ring he hoped she would love?

Kate begins to sputter, "I, uh, well…I…" Dropping his hands she scrubs a hand through her hair, a tell Rick had seen a thousand times, Kate is either extremely nervous or pissed. Rick clasps his hands together as he prays for nervous.

With a whisper she confesses, "This is coming out all wrong."

Taking a deep audible breath, Kate reaches for his hands once again and squeezes them tightly, "I need to tell you something…."

Rick screws his eyes shut, unwilling to look into her eyes. Eyes that tease him with the emerald flecks dancing in pools of caramel.

Dreading the possibility she is about to reject him. Castle hopes that the repeated stroking of her thumbs over his wrists was a further sign of her acceptance, not her rejection.

Tugging him forward, Kate softly beckoned, "Hey, hey look at me – I didn't say _'no'_."

Peeping out of one eye and then another, Rick squeaked out a "No?"

A wide grin graced her face "No….you surprised me, shocked me. I thought you were breaking up with me."

Rick sputters out a reply, "You what? I was going for dead serious. I needed you to know I meant it, no hesitation, no second thoughts."

Uncontrollable laughter bubble up Kate's throat, "Yeah, so serious I thought you were ending things."

Pulling her into an embrace, slipping the tips of his fingers into the back pockets of her jeans, "How could you think that?" He asked as he locked his eyes with hers.

"Where should I start? Vaughn. My secret trip to DC, which I was wrong not to share with you, another self-created unnecessary speed bump in the story of us. And every time I asked where we were headed, what we were to each other – you ignored my questions or said _'dating.' _Do you know how much I hate the word _'dating?'_ To describe us? For me it was so, so I don't know casual."

Rick once again presented the engagement ring, "See this? Do you know how long I have had it? How many times I wanted to give it to you, but was scared to, too scared."

Wrinkling her brow and pressing her forehead to his, Kate mumbles, "Scared?"

"Yes, scared. I was terrified that if I asked too soon that I would frighten you away before anyone even knew we were together."

Pulling back to examine his entire face, an astonished Kate asks, "What do mean _'knew we were together?_' How long have you had that ring? I can tell that ring is just…Wow. Rick that ring isn't found at the corner store in an hour."

The twinkle was back in his eyes, "I know a guy."

Sliding her hands inside his jacket to rest on his hips, "I would expect nothing less from you…a guy." Looking at the curve of his mouth and the mirth in his eyes, Kate prodded "When exactly did you buy this ring?"

"Only took two hours – but many hours ago, months ago."

"You're going to make me work for this aren't you?"

Planting a soft kiss on her lips, Castle murmured, "I think I deserve an answer to my question before I bare my soul?"

Sliding her cheek along his, Kate whispered in his ear. "Yes."

Playfully nipping at her ear, Rick murmured, "About time."

"Now about that ring…" ducking her head to nuzzle her face into Rick's neck, with a rare shyness creeping into her voice Kate asked, "May I try it on?"

Releasing his hold on Kate, Rick dropped to one knee, his face graced with a beaming smiling "First, let's take this from the top." If even possible Rick's grin grew wider across his face as he lifted the ring and asked "Katherine Houghton Beckett will you marry me?"

There was no confusion, no hesitation. Kate returned his smile with one of her own as she instinctively stretched out her hand, waggled her fingers and answered proudly, "Yes, a thousand times yes."

Castle moved to slip the ring on her finger, the moment Kate extended her hand further forward Rick snatched back his hand waving the ring as if it was a magic wand, "Are you sure now? A girl like you is a one and done kind of girl…"

Kate rocked back on her heels as her body rocked with laughter. "Do you remember everything I have ever said?"

Rising to his feet, "Hold still, yes, I remember all the words that you shared that sheds insight into the private, illusive, alluring and oh so very sexy Kate Beckett."

Rolling her eyes, Kate wiggled her empty hand at Castle, "Going to make a girl wait all day?"

Lightly grasping her wrist, Rick slipped the ring on her finger and brought her hand close to her face to allow Kate to really see the ring.

"Extraordinary." Wiping away a runaway tear, "Oh Rick, just extraordinary."

Twirling the ring on her finger, Castle confessed "Um, so I bought it the morning after."

"Which morning after?"

"THE morning after. As I entertained Mother and Alexis and you snuck out of the loft it hit me… I didn't want you to ever leave my home again."

Tilting her head with questioning eyes "And the guy?"

"As soon as Mother and I tucked Alexis into bed, I placed a call and arranged for a private showing. I wanted to ask you the minute you opened your door to me. I was waiting for an opening. You said let's make it round two and I wanted to say let's make it a life time of rounds."

Smiling gently, "Then Ryan."

"He threw me off my game."

Shaking her head at him, "You got game?"

"I have great game, a life time of games. But right now the only game I plan on playing is how quickly I can get you home and out of your clothes."

"THAT game is going to need to wait a bit. Let's walk."

Fixing a serious pout on to his face, Castle whined, "Walk?"

"Yes, a walk. Can't a girl show off her fiancé?"

"Why Detective Beckett, I am honored, I never took you for a braggart."

Lacing her fingers in his, Kate tugged gently on his hand, "Hmmm, really it's a ploy to convince you to share the 'other' times you were going to propose."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 - Fake Date.**

Rick curled his lips into a knowing smirk, "This is about more than the multiple times I may or may not have considered prosing to you? Isn't it?"

Lancing her fingers through his, Kate gently tugged him to her side. Turning to nuzzle his ear she murmured, "I don't want to keep this, our engagement...wow did I just say _'engagement_'?

Rick loves when she wears a high waisted tight fitted leather jacket. Especially when it rides up, pulling her shirt with it so he can trace a finger along the soft exposed skin between her shirt and jeans, "Yes, and I like the way _'engagement'_ just rolled off your tongues. Maybe you should try fiancé."

Covering his traveling hand with hers, "Hmm, don't distract me with your touch."

Pulling her further into his hold, his words dancing across her cheek? "Distracting you is by far one of my favorite things." Castle works his hand free of hers; his fingers begin skimming just barely inside the waistband of her jeans.

Kate's body betrays her, letting out a sigh and arching into his touch.

"Watching the way your body reacts to the simplest of MY caresses will never get old."

Kate once again captured his wandering hand to slow down the arousal starting to thrum through her body. "Later. All night. But now we walk."

Cocking his head to the side, "All night?"

"Promise, but now…"

Castle momentarily searches her eyes, "Walking really is important to you."

Cringing inwardly, Kate asked, "Silly huh? We only have this tiny window when this is just about us. There is also that little issue of how many times you wanted to do this hanging over our heads."

Teasing her, "Do what Kate? Walk in the park? Run my hands across your body? The first snow fall will be here before that walk is over if I share all the times I fantasied about touching you and wasn't allowed."

Shooting a Beckett glare didn't detour Rick. He wrapped his arms tightly around her and pulled her in until their hips where locked.

With a devilish grin he teased, "So, there was this time at the NYC public library were a very very sexy, yet slightly perturbed young Detective arrested me and all I wanted to say is _'if you must insist on cuffing me could we be naked? And I have no objections if it is to your bedpost?'_"

"Incorrigible." Kate made a futile attempt for a dramatic push from his hold. It came off half-hearted as her pursed lips turned in flirty smile. "Focus Castle, we are talking about proposals."

"Look at you, Detective - you know what they say about assuming, it makes an ass..."

Knock her forehead gently against his, "Think twice about finishing that sentence."

Sizing her up, he saw how important the stories of near proposals were to her, to them. Castle released his hold on Kate and casually walked away. A few steps into his walk he turned and looked over his shoulder "You coming Beckett?"

Kate broke into a light jog. Catching up to Rick she circled an arm around his waist. "You said you had game. It led me to believe you had more than one creative proposals brewing in that brain of yours."

Rick's eyes danced with challenge, "How about this game, we go back to my place and for every story I tell you about almost proposals you give me an article of clothing?"

"You're telling me you wanted to propose enough times that it will end up with me naked?"

Castle's face transformed from jovial to serious "Damn close."

"How about IOUs – you start talking and I'll owe you."

Castle wrapped his arm around her waist, directing them down the path that lead to the rose garden. "I think you owe me your kickass Beckett leather jacket – for wanting to marry you after one night together."

Releasing her hold on him she tugged at him until he joined her in retracing their steps to the swings.

"I was that good huh?"

Castle gave her a wolfish, "We, it is _'we'_ ARE that good."

"Yes, '_we'."_ Kate slipped off her jacket and handed it to Castle, "This is a show of good faith. The rest stays on until we get home."

Rick settled on a swing. Carefully folding Kate's jacket, he placed it on his lap, Rick began to slowly rock to and fro. "For your shirt – remember the night of our stupid idea of me going on a fake date?"

Kate toed her boot into the ground before lifting her eyes to meet his, "For two seemingly intelligent people, an extremely stupid idea."

Nodding his head in agreement, "When I arrived at your place and you looked so adorable with your hair pulled up in that messy pony tail and the leg for days teasing short little sleep shirt…."

Eyes crossing in a failed eye roll Kate asked, "The asking part?"

"You reached up on your tippy toes and teasingly leaned into my body and whispered _'Good because I have a gun._' My mind I said, "_'Not scared, I have a ring.'"_

"Good thing your mouth didn't, I would have freaked."

"Freaked? You would have kicked me to the curb."

"Never."

'Never?"

"So soon you forget – one and done."

"I am counting on it." Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, "Looking back at my life, I don't think anyone has ever believed I was the one."

Before Kate could get the words out, Castle pulled his swing next to hers and sealed her mouth with a kiss and uttered, "Alexis and my mother don't count."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 - Boots**

**Thanks for the reviews. Enjoy.**

Kate untangled her swing from his, "Next."

Eyes twinkling and wearing a broad grin on his face, "This is a twofer."

"Twofer? What is that?"

"I share two stories of near miss proposals and you owe me those two long luscious boots."

Teasing him, "Are you sure I am wearing boots?" Kate murmured with a sly smile, "They could just be heels."

Arching a brow at her, Rick asserted, "I have spent hundreds of hours studying the way your pants swish to know when you are hiding knee high leather boots rather than CFMs. Totally boots."

Pushing off the ground to propel her swing into the air, "Really, studying the swoosh of my pants? And who taught you CFMs? Wait - don't tell me."

Chuckling loudly while kicking his swing into high gear to allow him to swing in unison with Kate, Rick asked with a leer, "Would you like to know what else I studied?"

Laughter bubble out of Kate's throat as she shook her head, "You win I have boots on, now for my stories."

"Do you recall the disastrous night we had that first dinner with our parents?"

"Hard to forget, my dad totally thought there was going to be an announcement."

Castle's jaw went slack, "He did?"

Blushing, Kate admitted, "I hadn't formally introduced my dad to a anyone since high school prom. Much less had dinner…"

Rushing to cut her off, Rick gleefully asked, "You're telling me none of the formers who shall be nameless ever met Jim?"

Slowing her swing to a stop, Kate waited until Rick swing stilled beside her, "Josh..."

Cutting her off once again, "Hmpf, if you must reference that one...it is Dr. Motorcycle Boy."

Rolling her eyes with dramatic flair, Kate continued, "DMB..."

Rick crowed with glee, "DMB! I love it!"

Ignoring Castle's joy, "As I was saying, DMB met my dad in passing. Nothing formal."

"Wow, you're telling me I am in the first in decades?"

Scrunching up her face at him, Kate demanded, "Did you need to say decades? It makes me sound like a spinster."

Fumbling over his words, Rick anxiously attempted to repair the damage of the word _'decades'_. "No, no it was intended to come off to show that I am um, uh, well honored to be that one."

Kate bit the inside of her checks to stop herself from laughing at him. Castle was so adorable when he verbally stepped in it. "Relax; my dad has forgiven you for not having an announcement."

Swiping the back of his hand across his head, "Phew." Rick mocked removing sweat from his brow. "I did think about it. During dinner I conjured up an image of proposing, _'Jim would you have any objections to me marrying your daughter?' _ Then I thought what if he did? What would I do next? Or what if I asked him and you said_, 'He might not, but I do.'_

A small smile began to creep across Kate's face as she listened to Castle ramble on.

"Again later that night when you were questioning how we made sense. I wanted to give you my ring and say – I don't care if we make sense on paper, but we make sense in my heart."

Kate's face blossomed into a full grin, "I would have thought about saying _'yes'_."

"Way back then?"

"Do you think I let you follow me around for four years and _'scratch and claw'_ your way into my life, just for great sex? We could have done that the first day we met. I've known for some time that you could be the one."

"How long?"

Flashing Rick a saucy smile, Kate crooned, "Long enough."


	4. Chapter 4

**_Chapter 4 – Pants_**

**_Thanks for the reviews. Everyone needs a little (or a lot of) fluff in their life. I realize the chapters are short but based on the overall theme of the story the length seems appropriate. Enjoy._**

Tugging at Kate's left pant leg, Castle announced "This one deserves your pants."

Teasingly Kate began seductively undoing her belt, "Hmm, don't you think you should take my belt before my pants?"

"Completely unnecessary – I am getting it all."

Quirking a brow a him, Kate challenged, "That confident." It was a statement. Not a question.

"I am now." Grinning like a fool, Rick finished his reply with a hitch in his voice, "You said _'yes.'"_

Buckling her pants with a deliberate slowness of a reverse strip tease, Kate ever so slowly slipped the stiff tip of her belt through first loop. "Well then, Mr. Castle ante up the proposal which earns you my pants."

Scrubbing a hand across his face, Castle gathered his wits. Even with the passage of time and the appeal of Kate Beckett, Rick still felt a wave a nauseous rumble through his stomach at thought of Tyson. "Remember when I was set up by Tyson?"

Kate's knuckles turned white as she her fingers wound tightly around the chains of her swing. "Hard to forget, sent me back to Burke for a pick-me up."

Struggling to come to terms with the idea that Tyson had impacted Kate to the level that had provoked her to return to her doctor, Rick closed his eyes against the afternoon sun and drew a deep breath. "I had no idea, how did I miss the signs that you needed to do that?"

Releasing her vice like grip on the chains, Kate reached over and soothingly skimmed her hands across Castle's suit clad thighs. "Hey. Hey, wipe that look off your face. My time with Burke taught me to reach out to him before there are _'signs.'_ That is a good thing Rick."

Kate finished by flashing a toothy confident smile, "A great sign."

Castle covered her hands with his and brought their clasps hands to his lips. Mumbling softly as he peppered kisses across the backs of her fingers, "I wish I had known."

Dragging his hand with hers, Kate brushed a hand across his cheek, "I think I read somewhere that as w-i-f-e should share with her h-u-s-b-a-n-d…"

Reeling back with surprise and merriment in his eyes, Rick cackled a bit as he asked, "Did you just spell out husband and wife?"

Kate sheepishly replied, "Yeah."

Castle laughed loudly as he accused, "You can't say those words can you?"

Kate rushed to speak in an effort to ignore Castle's question, "What I was saying is that in the future I promise to tell you when I have an appointment with Burke. Better?"

"Better?! You need to call him right now."

Kate growled, "NOW? Why?"

His body racked with a hearty chuckle, Rick breathlessly spit out, "You had to spell out husband and wife."

"I do NOT need to call Burke about THAT."

Rick threw down the gauntlet. "Hmmpf. I bet you can't say, _'Hi, I would like to introduce you to my ruggedly handsome husband Richard Castle'_. Without spelling out husband."

Kate shook her hands free of his grasp, rose to her feet and with lighting speed she pulled herself up on the chains of Rick's swing. Dropping herself on to his lap so they sat face to face…groin to groin.

Lowering her an octave to the seductive level that made Rick quiver with anticipation, Kate murmured softly, "Hi, I would like to introduce you my oh so very sexy yet, cocky, fiancé Rick Castle."

Dragging his hands down to circle her slim firm waist and leaning into utter seductively into her ear, "You are so hot when you say fiancé."

Laughing silently to herself at the way her body yearned for his touch, Kate leapt from his lap as quickly as she joined it. Settling on her own swing, Kate leaned in and purred "Hmm, better get cracking on the story for my pants if you want to handle this hotness."

Stealing himself again at the thought of Tyson, "When Tyson set me up…I was equally worried that you would go back further through my pocket account or stumble upon the receipt for the ring. That would have been a good one – _'I might go away for murder, but would you marry me?'_"

"I would have said _'yes'_."

Asking with his eyes, "Yeah?"

Answering with her eyes, "Yeah."

Verbalizing it, "Would you have said yes, if I asked _'Would you to break me out of jail?'_"

"Always."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 – Pants**

**Thank you for the reviews, follows and for joining me on this little journey of fluffiness.**

"Castle that story SO does not earn my pants. For my pants I expect something grander and Castlesque."

"Castlesque? I doubt that is a word." Arching a brow and flashing his baby blues, "In an effort avoid our first engagement fight I have the perfect well planned proposal for your pants." Laughing heartily Rick, "I was so proud of myself."

Rick's body began to slip off the swing as his active imagination vividly recalled the events of his botched proposal.

Placing her hands on his knees, Kate pushed Rick back onto his swing. "Are you going to share or are you going to laugh until you fall off that swing?"

Gathering his wits, "Do you recall when I was held captive in the loft after the unfortunate skiing incident?"

"Was that the time you were helpless, needy and whiny? Whereas, I was the QUEEN trickster."

"Beckett, you do know tricksters are almost always male?"

"What about Khandroma?"

"You amaze me, a Tibetan rainbow-clad, sky-going-goddess."

"I do read…. Coyote, Kitsune, Ārohirohi, Fraus, Mohini….should I go on?"

"You don't happen to have a Mohini costume of sorts do you?"

Leaning in closely, her breath seductively danced across Rick's ear, "Castle, do you think you could handle this _femme fatale_ in costume?"

Gulping repeatedly, Rick sputtered, "My first attempt at proposing during my incapacitation was going to be with my remote control helicopter. When I suggested a helicopter ride to Ryan you said it was big and over the top. I thought I would prove to you helicopters could be romantic and intimate. The helicopter was going to land at your feet and flash in Morse code _'marry me' _followed up with '_open me.' _The ring was around the pilot's neck."

"You are ridiculous, I don't know Morris code." Pondering his story for a moment, Kate crossed her arms and leaned back on her swing. Sizing him up she asked with her detective voice, "Wait a minute, didn't I come home to you sprawled out on your belly scrambling after a shattered 'copter?"

'I prefer stomach."

"Fine, spread-eagle on your stomach like a turtle stuck on its back." Narrowing her eyes at Rick and staring him dead in the eye "Didn't you shriek at me to go away when I bent down to help you up?"

"I was conducting a test landing, heard your key in the door, panicked and hit the off button. I dove to the floor and attempted to catch the helicopter, missed and it smashed to the ground. You called out my name and I frantically crawled on all fours trying to recover the ring before you saw it."

Kate's body shook with laughter.

"I couldn't move fast enough so I flattening my body to the floor, hoping that it was covering the ring."

Tears of laughter began streaming down her cheeks, "Now that is a story worthy of pants."

Castle joined in Kate's laughter as he wiped away her tears, "Wait there is more."

Kate shook her head in disbelief, "More?"

"Remember the tank that I sent into the bedroom?"

"When I called you a pervert as you spied on me with the embedded camera?"

"Totally worth it, that lingerie set is so sexy." Castle's mind momentarily wandered as he thought of Kate in lingerie.

Rolling her eyes at him and wiping the last of her tears from her cheeks, "Stay on point Castle, the tank."

"The ring was inside the tank. I planted a microphone inside the tank and I was all set to say _'Will you marry me?' _ You yelled out _'pervert' _put a cramp in my plans. I decided not to propose, it didn't seem like I was going to get a _'yes'_ out of you at that moment."

Grinning at him, "I was more likely to smash that tank than anything."

"I do know one proposal you might have said yes to."

"Do tell."

"Remember my birthday party?"

Nodding with a huge smile on her face, "A great night. I was so relieved you appreciated the little trick we all played on you."

"I know, when you were standing there in the '_murderers' _apartment, surrounded by our friends and family, looking drop dead gorgeous all worried that you had gone too far. I wanted to say_ 'Marry me.'_ I wasn't going to ask you I was going to make it a statement in front of everyone. I wasn't sure it was private and intimate enough. Instead I held my breath and stalled, making you more nervous until I blurted out _'Best birthday ever._'"

Pulling his swing to hers, Kate let out a husky little, "I'm glad it was just us."


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks for the support, and the editorial comments. Enjoy. At let us not forget, these characters are not mine.**

Kate rose from her swing, stretched out her arm with cat like grace, twining her fingers with Rick's. Tugging him to his feet, "Why don't we continue this as we drive back to your place to celebrate?"

Rick pulled Kate into an awkward embrace as he maneuvered around the swaying swings. Blue eyes twinkling framed by crinkles from the smile on his face, Rick asked innocently "Thought I had to earn all your clothes?"

Dipping her head to nuzzle her face into his neck, Kate took a moment to breath in the familiar sent of his cologne, and rasped out "Not a lot left to earn." Taking a deliberate pause, Kate let out a breathy, "Except a few scraps of lace."

Castle tucked several wayward strands hair behind her ear and gave her ear a delicate, yet manly nibble. "Do I get to drive?"

Blowing gently into Rick's Kate whispered "Never gonna happen."

Growling softly, Castle began peppering light kisses down her jawline, "I have ways of making you change your mind."

Kate momentarily captured his bottom lip between her teeth, before happily pronouncing, "As of today it looks like you have a life time to trying to get my keys."

Waggling his eyebrows, "Yes and I will make the most of my powers of persuasion to earn the keys to your car, however, for now my dear detective, I have an antidote of potential proposal for your brassiere."

Kate snorted uncontrollably, "Couldn't just say bra, could ya? The last time I heard someone say the word brassiere was when my grandmother announced at a family gathering _'Johanna, looks like our Katie needs to go shopping for a brassiere.'" _

Kate capped one hand over her mouth to prevent another snort from escaping, and beckoned to Castle to continue with the other.

"SO as I was saying for your brassiere I was on my way to propose Christmas Eve. I wanted you to know I didn't care, still don't care, if you believed in Santa, I believe in St. Nicolas enough for the two of us."

Rick recalled tossing his jacket over his arm, swinging open the loft's front door to the delightful surprising sight of a grinning Kate. "And there you were, on my doorstep. You blew me away by showing up, breaking your holiday tradition to come to me. And in that moment, you coming to me was enough. Your arrival was the perfect gift."

"You're a good man. Rick Castle, even if you didn't get me a Christmas present…" Tossing her head back to laugh, Kate asked "Who does that?"

Pouting fiercely, Rick grumbled, "You said, and I quote verbatim, _'no present.'_ I was respecting your wishes."

Stretching to reach his height, Kate tilted her forehead against his and murmured, "Castle, have Martha and Alexis taught you nothing? A girl never really means _'no presents.'_

Turning up his pout by a solid eighty degrees, Rick groused, "My daughter and mother were more than willing to educate me in what Mother calls _'Woman Speak'. _

Channeling his best impression of Martha Rogers, "Richard, darling have I taught you nothing? A woman like Katherine is to be courted, wooed. There is no hallmark occasion that doesn't warrant a keepsake for a woman like your Detective Beckett."


	7. Chapter 7

**Starting with this chapter I have an editor, which means this little ditty should read with out the speed bumps of poor grammar.**

Nipping at the barely there cleft of his chin, "I had a present for you."

Stammering uncontrollably, "Had? Past tense?"

"As in when I arrived at the loft…" Doing her best Mae West impression, an impression he didn't know she had, Kate winked and husked out with a flirty smirk, "I had a little something' something' for you."

Rick choked out, "Why does that sound so dirty?"

Placing her hands on her hips and rolling eyes full of mirth, "Because Rick Castle, your mind immediately goes to the dirty side."

Wrapping his hands around Kate's slim hips and tugging her close, "Have you looked in the mirror lately? Where else would it go?"

Matching her hips to his, just the way Kate knew made Rick shudder with anticipation, "Are you going to take me home now? For a little something?"

Slipping a hand to the small of her back, Rick slowly nudged his fingers under her shirt and inside the waistband of Kate's jeans. Breaking off their kiss, Kate burrowed her face in his shoulder, "We need to go."

He loved the way she responded to his touch, how a feather like touch in just the right spot had the fierce Detective Beckett melting.

Pulling from Kate's hold, Castle swept his hands in front of his body encouraging her eyes to travel over Rick from head to toe. "My, my, my, Katherine Beckett for a woman who it took me four, count them FOUR long hard years to woo. Four years to have you admit what you denied from that first fateful night we met at my book signing, that you wanted me and now that you have had a taste of this….."

Stopping to flex his body in a poor imitation of the Incredible Hulk, flashing a wicked grin, "and I mean all of THIS, you can't seem to get enough of me."

Searching Kate's poker face for a flicker of admission, a flash of acknowledgment, being Castle, he had to push it, "Fine. Have it your way, you didn't want, want me, but you did want me to autograph your boo..."

Chuckling loudly and arching a perfectly shaped brow, "Correction…" poking Rick repeatedly in the chest, "…You wanted to sign my chest. Oh and you wanted to sleep with me. Me, I wanted to solve a murder and hopefully never see your smug, womanizing, leering mug again."

Flashing his dazzling blue eyes, "Please Kate, lie to me but don't lie to yourself, you wanted to sleep with me."

Before Castle could control his mouth it ran away from his brain, "Have your wicked way with me. Teach me a thing or two. Sign MY chest, do a little dance. Try out your cuffs on very naked and famous Richard Castle. Show me a little something something…"

"As for wanting you now…" rolling her eyes, Kate declared with a flirty smile, "I'd call that last little bout of verbal diarrhea a mood killer."

Moving with lightning speed Castle captured her lips with his. Kate eagerly responded with a long slow kiss that was full of promise.

Rick let out a guttural laugh, "Based on your response, I declare the mood is back. However, before we go, my last tale of misguided proposals…for your beloved panties."

Kate asked, "Panties?" Followed up with a playful smack to Rick's bicep, "How old are you?"

Rubbing his arm in mock pain, Castle couldn't just let it go. "Yes, I could have said underwear, underthings, granny wear, undies, thong or…" Dipping a few fingers further inside the back of her jeans, merely in the name of research, "…ah yes, my favorite a G-string."

Staring up at the sky, and rolling her eyes Kate proclaimed, "Mom, I am going to marry a perpetual frat boy."

Looking skyward Castle added, "A ruggedly handsome, extremely rich and sexy man, who is also…"

Kate silenced him a hand over his mouth. Still looking skyward, "…the one."

Placing a palm on her cheek, bringing her face to level to his, Castle smiled broadly as Kate refocused her attention on him. "I would like to focus on sharing with you one final story of abandoned proposals, followed up by you driving us home so I can claim my prize."

Overcome with a sudden bout of uncharacteristic shyness, Kate ducked her head, hair falling to hide her eyes from his. "Do you want to hear about my almost proposal?"

"Your what?" Sputtering until he choked on his own breath, Rick said with wonderment, "You, the amazingly fierce and independent Kate Beckett, thought of proposing? To me?"

Backpedaling quickly, Kate clarified, "Not really a proposal, more of a proclamation."

Reflecting back on the hours standing on a bomb waiting for it to blow, when all Kate could think of was how she wanted the chance to marry Rick Castle, Kate confessed, "I was standing on that f- bomb, I should have had my entire life pass before my eyes. You know like they say in the movies, but that wasn't the case. I had one thought, it was of you. Did you love me enough to marry me? In those moments, hours standing with my knees locked, my legs turning to jelly I didn't think of anything but you and what might be."

Rick rasped out a simple soulful, "Kate."

Swiping a tender thumb across his brow, sliding her hand down his cheek to curl her fingers around his ear, pulling Rick in close, Kate huffed out, "And then you left."

Rick leaned into her touch and murmured into her ear, "I came back."

Castle felt Kate's face blossom into an open smile against his cheek, "Yes, and for the second time in my life I was reminded that even on the darkest day there is the possibility of joy. Your face, your smile, the twinkle of your eyes, I wanted to tell you, you were my one. My done. The words were locked in my throat."

"Thank God you didn't, I would have grabbed you and set off the bomb."


	8. Chapter 8

**Once again – I don't own the characters; I don't even pay fair market value rent for the use these characters. But it is fun to play in someone else's sand box. **

**Enjoy and thank you for the support. **

Kate nodded her head in agreement, "You would have TOTALLY killed us both."

Grinning like a fool in love, "Without a doubt."

Linking his arm with hers, Castle turned up the charmed and said her title in the way that he knew secretly turned her on, even when she pretended to loathe him. "Detective Beckett, soon to be Castle it would be my honor to take you home and strip you of my winnings."

Cocking her head to the side Kate squinted at Rick and asked with questioning eyes, "Detective Castle?"

"No. No. You need to always be Detective Beckett, that title is so sexy, powerful and" ending with a wink, "well hot. However, I would be honored if you were Mrs. Castle outside of work."

Sharing a smile laced with relief, "I can work with that." Lowering her head, taking a deep breath, Kate huffed out a barely audible, "What if I am Federal Agent Becket?"

Kate kept her eyes averted as she braced herself for Rick's response. Maybe it wasn't the best time to make a back handed announcement that Kate had been offered the job and she desperately wanted to take on the challenge of being a Federal Agent. If she was honest with herself, moving to DC, leaving the 12th and the boys scared the hell out of her.

At the same time the decision to test her skills on a new level thrilled Kate beyond her fears of leaving, well now that Castle was standing beside her. Without Rick, Kate wasn't sure she had the confidence to become the unknown fish in a national pond.

"Hotter. Way hotter. Listen to the way 'f-e-d-e-r-a-l' rolls off my tongue."

Kate's eyes remained focused on the ground over his shoulder. Castle wasn't about to lose the ground they had gained today. He quickly questioned, "Did you miss the preamble of my proposal where I stated that your decision regarding your job wasn't a factor in our relationship?"

Lifting her head, Kate nervously peered at him through hooded eyes. Taking a deep breath Castle saw his opening and took it. "What matters in our relationship is you let me in. Partners. A team."

Kate pursed her lips together in an effort to avoid frowning and narrowed her eyes, silently willing Rick to end the current line of conversation.

Rick refused to back down from Kate Beckett when it counted most, he quickly commanded, "Do not look like that."

Clasping her hand in his, taking a moment to brush a finger across the glimmering diamond that dressed her finger. Rick hoped what he was about to share was going to help them and not send Kate into defensive mode. Judging from the look on her face, Rick knew he had less than ten seconds to make his case before a beautiful afternoon turned sour. "The job debacle wasn't entirely your fault."

Kate ground out a low and serious, "Let's leave my misstep in the past. It was all me. I decided to cut you out before I gave you a chance to tell me you wanted in. I was more afraid you didn't want me, than I was confident that you did."

Fixing a serious stare, willing Kate to meet his eyes, Rick ignored Kate's request. "We need to talk about this."

Kate screwed her eyes shut. Why couldn't Castle just let it go? She apologized, wanted to leave it behind.

Dropping a kiss on her nose, "And we need to talk about it now. You repeatedly questioned where we stood and I wouldn't answer. I saw the way your face dropped when you asked what we were doing and I said _'dating.'_ I ran into our room and grabbed the ring, when I returned you were so distant and unapproachable."

"The_ 'dating' _comment drove me into shut down mode. I wanted nothing more than to take our relationship to another level and you defined us as _'dating.' _ Sarcasm dripped from every word as Kate said, "Which by the way joins one of my other all-time favorite words, '_uncomplicated._'"

"I promise neither word is incorporated in my wedding vows."

Kate let out a gasp followed by a yelp, "YOU already wrote your vows?"

"Totally written."

Wearing a shy grin Kate whispered, "We really are doing this aren't we?"

"Totally awesome huh?"

"For a writer sometimes your junior high word choice boggles the mind."

Giving himself a theatrical pat on the chest, Castle bragged, "Totally a kid at heart."

"Tell anyone and I will deny it, but I/our relationship, needs you to stay that way. One of us needs to believe in Santa Clause, fate and the possibility of living on Mars one day."

Waggling his eyebrows at Kate, "That reminds me, I may have also bought you a little land on Mars. I know you are going to ask, so I will save you the time, it adjoins mine. So now we have a farmlet."

Castle's comments earned him a quick thwack to the chest, "Are you kidding me? A farmlet? You better be kidding me."

Rubbing his smarting chest, Castle replied, "Joking. Completely joking, my piece is big enough for us both."


End file.
